“There’s a motel up ahead, Duke. Let’s bunk down for the night. Hopefully, Rex will send us something before we go to bed.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“That, and dinner.”

“You’re hungry again?”

“Yeah.”

“Ya know, in the last few days, you’ve been a bottomless pit. Seems like it’s getting worse all the time. Have you noticed that?”

Brick shrugged, as Duke pulled behind another truck under the high archway by the front desk and shifted into Park. After they checked in, they walked to the restaurant across the street and took their seats at a booth in the back. Brick reached over, picked up the menus, and tossed one to Duke, who chuckled and tapped his.

“Hey, look. They’ve got one of those eat this ginormous steak, and your meal is free things.”

Cracking his knuckles, Brick replied, “I’m in. How about you?”

“Maybe we can get them to throw in a couple of pitchers of beer.”

“Gotta wash it down with something.”

A waitress wandered over, looking as if half the meals on her shift had landed on her uniform.

“Damn kids, throwing their food at me,” she muttered, as she approached where they sat, pulling out a pad and pen from her pocket. “Hey, there. I’m Sally. Welcome to the Wagon Wheel Bar and Grill. What’ll you have?”

“We’re going for the gusto!” Duke pointed to the menu. “We’re both having the Enormous Angus.”

She put a hand on her hip and gave them a deadpan stare.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

“Sure. Why not?” She blew a strand of hair from her face. “That’s an 85-ounce steak, prepared however you want it, loaded baked potato, shrimp cocktail, a side salad, and rolls. You’ve got an hour to eat the steak. All of the other stuff isn’t part of the contest.”

They nodded at her, and Brick said, “Bring it on. We know how to handle our meat.”

“Okay. Well, you gotta pay for it first. We’ve had people order it and then stop half-way and try to skip out on the check. Y’all finish before the time is up, and we’ll refund your money.”

“Ever had two at the same time?” Duke asked. When her eyebrow arched, he followed with, “Doing the challenge, I mean.”

“Not since I’ve been here.”

“We’ll take a couple of pitchers of beer, too.” Brick took out his wallet and handed her his credit card. “There you go.”

“How do you want your steak prepared?”

“As rare as you can make it, bloody.” Brick motioned to Duke and said, “His, too.”

“And the dressing?”

Duke replied, “Ranch.”

“What about you?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

“That’s an Enormous Angus for you both, cooked rare, with ranch on your salads and two pitchers of beer. Right?”

“Yup.”

“Okay. I’ll go swipe this and then put your order in. Give me a minute for the drinks.”

A moment later, Sally’s voice came over a speaker, as disco lights came on and began to swirl.

“Listen up, y’all! We’ve got not one, but two who are taking on the Wagon Wheel challenge! That’s right! The Enormous Angus! Who’s gonna win? The steak, or the guys? Take a walk over to table 12 in the corner and see how they do! Can’t miss ‘em! They’re huge! Get your giddy-up on and come over to cheer for ‘em!”

“What the...?” Duke said, as chairs scraped against the floor when people stood, and patrons at the bar swiveled in their seats to look at them.

“Hey, mister!” shouted a kid who skidded to a halt beside their table. “You really gonna eat all that?”

“Uh-huh,” Brick replied.

Carrying a loaded platter, the waitress squeezed past the boy, saying, “Excuse me! Here’s your beer and glasses.” She set them down. “The timers.” She plunked large stopwatches on the table. “Knives, forks, and a bunch of napkins for ya.” She straightened and passed Brick the receipt and his card. “Sign there. I’ll be back with the bibs and puke buckets.”

Brick shook his head and said, “No, we don’t need those.”

“That’s what they all say, but then all of them do.”

“Billy, come over here and leave those men alone,” a woman called out.

“Aw, mom! I wanna watch!” he whined back to her.

Brick spied her and gestured to the child, as he said, “He’s okay. He’s not bothering us.”

“Okay. My name’s Pam, and I’m his mother. If he starts acting up, let me know.”

Sally came back and set a black plastic pail on the floor beside each of them.

“Here’s your bibs, too.”

Duke and Brick unfurled the plastic, and Duke started to laugh. Emblazoned on the front of it was a smiling cow, with a portion of its haunch missing from a large bite.

“Are you kidding me?” Brick tossed it onto the table. “I’m not wearing that.”

“You gotta, for the picture after.” Sally placed her hands on her hips again. “We put it on our website.”

“Fuck, no.”

“Aw, come on, Brick. It’ll be fun,” Duke said, as he tied his around his neck.

“You look ridiculous. It doesn’t even cover half of what it’s supposed to.”

“Do it, mister.”

Billy held Brick’s up, and Duke raised his eyebrows with a toothy grin.

“Yeah, put it on!” somebody called out.

And then another, “It’s part of the experience!”

A man seated in the front yelled, “It’ll protect your shirt when you upchuck!”

“Fine.” Brick sighed and tied the silly bib around his neck. “I look stupid, don’t I?”

Billy giggled and nodded.

While Brick and Duke waited for their dinners, they drank their beer, as they listened to Billy talking about what happened with his father. Then the light display started up again, and a procession of all the wait staff, led by Sally, marched from the kitchen to their table.

“One Enormous Angus for you!”

She set an immense plate in front of Brick.

“Whoa!” Billy gasped with wide eyes.

“And there’s yours.” She then arranged the sides on the table. “Need anything else? Steak sauce?” They both crinkled their noses. “No? Okay, then. Your hour starts… now!”

Duke sliced into his steak and cut it up, while Brick reached into the basket and took out a roll. After tearing it in half, he spread butter on it with his knife.

“You’re wasting time, mister!”

“I’m Brick,” he said, as he stuffed the bread into his mouth, “and that’s Duke.”

“Hi!” Billy poked Brick in the arm. “You better start eating the meat, like he is!”

“I’ll get to it.” Brick poured another beer for himself and topped Duke’s glass off. “These are good rolls! Grab one.”

“He’s already swallowed ten bites!”

“Yeah, he’s quick with everything.”

Brick drained his drink and patted his chest, before belching loudly.

“You’re funny, Brick,” the boy said with a laugh.

“Well, I guess it’s time to get busy.”

“Uh-huh! He’s half-way through!”

“Pffft. Watch this.”

Carving into his steak, Brick cut a large piece, swiped it through the blood on the plate, and thrust it into his mouth. After chewing a few times, he swallowed and went to the next. Within five minutes, his plate was emptier than Duke’s, as more of the meat disappeared between his lips.

Duke cut into the beef, and then he stopped. He slowly set his knife and fork down.

“I don’t feel….”

Holding his stomach, he made a retching sound, and his body jerked.

“Told ya!” Sally shouted from her seat at the bar, waving her unlit cigarette towards him. “You make sure and use that bucket, now! Ya hear me? I ain’t mopping up after you.”

“Oh, no!” Billy yelled, “He’s gonna hurl!”

Brick snorted and kept shoving bite after bite into his mouth.

“Ha! I’m just playing,” Duke said, motioning to what remained of his steak with his knife. “This is nothing, little dude.”

Moments later, they pushed their empty plates to the center of the table.

“Well, I’ll be damned!” Sally clapped her hands, and soon everyone around joined in. “Y’all did it!” Hopping off the stool, she went towards the back. “Hope we’ve got t-shirts big enough to fit ya.”

“Don’t forget our refund!” Duke shouted after her, while he reached for the pitcher and filled their glasses once more.

“Come on, Billy! Let’s go home,” his mother said.

“Hey, wanna be in the picture with us?” Duke asked.

Billy nodded in excitement, and then Sally came back holding a camera, with two shirts slung over her shoulder.

“Just stay there and smile.” She snapped the photo and said, “Here ya go.” She tossed a t-shirt to each of them. “Largest size we got. Oh, I credited your card, too.”

Brick held his up.

“That won’t fit me. How about you give Billy one in his size?”

“For real?” The boy bounced in his seat. “This is the best vacation ever!”

“How old are you?”

“Seven.”

“That’s a good age. Enjoy it.”

Just then, Brick’s phone pinged. Raising it up, he clicked the message and flicked his eyes to Duke.

“We gotta go.”

“Have a great rest of your trip, little dude.”

Duke mussed Billy’s hair, and then the crowd parted as they left.